Immersing into Kafka’s World (Franz Kafka “Metamorphosis” and Other Stories, Penguin Classics, Deluxe Edition, 2008)

To better attune yourself into Kafka’s world, listen to:“Vi iz dus gesehen?-Where is the Village?”, performing the Barry Sisters

To read and enjoy Kafka’s works one needs a huge imagination. Who has it and loves it, that kind of stuff is for her/him.

The front and back covers of this book are presented here.

Below are the illustrationa to his “Metamorphosis” done by the girl Julia.

I am opening the book on page 13.

The story reads :” The Excursion into the Mountains”

“I don’t know”, I cried in a toneless voice, “I really don’t know. If nobody comes, then nobody comes. I’ve done nobody any harm, nobody ever did me any harm, yet nobody wants to come to my aid. Nobody upon nobody. But that’s not it either. Only nobody comes to help me – nobody upon nobody would be fine. I would quite like – and why wouldn’t I? -to go on an excursion with a crowd of nobodies. Into the mountains, of course, where else? The way those nobodies would crowd together, all their crossed and linked arms, their many feet, separated by minute steps! Naturally, they’re all in tailcoats. We’re walking along without a care in the world, the wind is pushing through gaps between us and our various limbs. Our throats feel free in the mountains! It’s a miracle we haven’t burst into song!”

Franz Kafka wrote in German although at his home they spoke in Chez,

this English version was executed wonderfully by Michael Hofmann.

My interpretation was done from Hofmann’s into Russian and it will be presented on the Russian page.

“The Excursion into the Mountains” from Contemplation by Kafka was an art-project of one Moscow group “Shepot”. Authors: Anatoliy Ryassov “Kaftan Smeha” and Anna Chekassina (Moscow, 20.12.2008).

Watch their video:“The Excursion into the Mountains”

Franz Kafka is an icon of dark existentialist and absurdness literature. He considers philosophy “a way of relearning to look at the world…” Goethe generates a lot of noise, an iconic artist adored by Kafka. Franz Kafka presents a grotesque vision of the world in which alienated the imaginary from the reality. Nevertheless there are the fragile ties between them. Open your eyes, heart and ears and you can catch them. They belong to the moment, and it’s a beauty.

The photo show: ” Kafka’s Readings”

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